Our muscle boys in the states have taken time out to give us British lads tips on getting the perfect unobtainable body that so many of us seem to crave...

I want to tone and tighten my legs (or stomach, or arms, etc). What exercises can I do to lose fat there and get them toned?
 
Dan - Losing fat requires a healthy diet and frequent workouts. Higher reps and short recovery times will facilitate fat loss. If you want to build your legs you're going to have to do lunges, squats and the leg press. Gay boys hate doing legs, but they're just as important as working out your chest. You don't want to end up top heavy!

Do I really have to spend every evening in the gym to get a great body?
 
Pete - No, you could go in the morning, which is the best time! You have to make a commitment to workout. If you can workout three times a week for 45 minutes to and hour you should be able to make progress. Early morning workouts are ideal as your body isn't loaded with food, so you're not burning off the calories you've filled up with during the day. You'll be building muscle and stripping fat. Make sure to have a protein shake afterwards.

What's a warm up? How long & what type of things are good to do?

Dan - Simple! It takes all of about 5 minutes. Just get yourself on a bike, stepper or cross trainer and get a little bit sweaty and you're ready to step it up!

Now I'm hot, how do I cool down? Should I do any thing special?

Dan - Same principal for warm-up. Make sure you've been stretching throughout your work out, and take time to cool down. Sometimes a steam is a great way to relax and unwind. Don't over do it though, and drink plenty of water.

What is a good fitness program for losing weight?

Pete - Cardio and diet are the most important followed by weight-training. Cardio should be done 3 to 4 times a week for 30 mins. Your diet should be high in protein, moderate to low in carbs and low in fat. Protein includes such things as chicken, eggs and fish but you can shake it up, don't starve your body of the things you like, force feeding yourself food you don't like means you'll make youself unhappy and likely binge!

The scale isn't moving anymore!

Dan - Start a new workout. Try changing the length of the workout as well as the types of exercises you are doing. Also, you can vary the reps. For example, if you normally do 8 to 12 reps, lower the weight and start doing 15 to 20 reps, or vice versa.

Is it bad for your body to workout some of the same muscle groups daily?

Dan - Depending on intensity you should give your muscles 3 days in between workouts. so... if you train quads on Monday don't hit them again until Friday. It's not bad, but it's counterproductive, as it will lead to over-training. Most fitness experts agree that abs and calves are an exception to this. You can train them almost every day if you so choose.

Whats your best fitness tip?

Dan - Be consistent with your workouts and diet. Set short term achievable goals. Dedicate yourself for at least 3 to 6 months, not just 1 or 2 weeks.

I want hot abs, what are good ab building exercises?

Pete - Doing 100 crunches isn't going to get your abs ripped. Cardio and diet are more important than any ab-crunch that you can do in so far as enabling your abs to show. You'd be better off doing cardio 4 times a week and eating well than doing 100 crunches. But I guess the crunches would help.

Whats the deal with carbs? Avoid or what?

Dan - Carbs are very important in your diet. If you take in less than 100 carbs a day you can be doing harm to your body. In order for your brain to function properly it needs carbs! You'll have no energy, and pass out. The Atkins diet is designed for couch potatoes who don't want to workout. If you plan on doing cardio and weight-training, you definitely need carbs. Just ensure that the primary component in every meal is protein with a small amount of carbs and you should be good!

After I finish eating, how long do I have to wait before I exercise?

Dan - At least 2 hours. If you workout after eating you are working your heart too hard. Also, your food is not digesting during your workout because the blood is going to your muscles.

What is the best exercise for building and firming your ass?

Dan - Squats, lunges. Genetics are important here too ;)

Pete - Sex... Or lunges, if you're boring.